


The Strangest Kinship

by TheMadHatterOfficial



Series: As the Tides Recede [5]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst and Fluff, Breakup, Breakups, But I read the transcripts, Friendship, I didn't read the comics so don't come at me, Post War, Thanks Avatar wiki, This is a little bit after the war, Zuko and Suki are really good friends and you can't tell me otherwise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-06-06 04:35:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15186911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMadHatterOfficial/pseuds/TheMadHatterOfficial
Summary: Zuko and Suki are good friends, so of course she's the one there after his breakup with Mai





	The Strangest Kinship

**Author's Note:**

> Again, I was bored and wanted to get something out. Also, SUKI!! Because where the fuck was she in LOK???

Out of everyone on Team Avatar, the most unlikely friendship to come out of it had to have been that of the newest Fire Lord and the leader of the Kyoshi warriors. 

At least, that's what Zuko thought. Suki was one of two of his closest friends that he hadn't taken on a 'life-changing field trip', the last one he met in the GAang, and, _oh yeah he burned down her entire village during his skinhead ponytail era._

Whoops. 

Despite a rough start (that was basically all Zuko had with people pre-Ba Sing Se) Suki and Zuko got along shockingly well. Especially since Ty Lee joined the Kyoshi warriors and stayed in contact with Mai, and by default, Zuko.

Neither chose to visit Azula in the Mental Health hospital, but Zuko was the only one who did, and he didn't blame them. She was horrible to them, and Zuko was in no position for him to demand them to forgive her. Even if she was truly ill.

But recently, Suki had come to Caldera personally with a number of people from Kyoshi to discuss relations between them and the Fire Nation.

In a way, Zuko considered Suki to be one of his closest confidants. He felt similarly towards everyone, but they were all for different situations.

Aang was such an amazing friend, but a lot of the time his endlessly optimistic monk wisdom rubbed Zuko raw until he snapped out in rage, then felt extremely guilty for acting the way he did.

Toph was good if he needed a good kick in the ass. She'd also grown amazingly close with Zuko, having dubbed herself his 'much nicer, smarter, stronger, less murder-y little sister for life'. But sometimes her blatant disregard for almost everyone else pissed him off to no end and he couldn't take it.

Katara was so sweet Zuko could feel his teeth rot with every moment that passed with her. Oh, she'd always call you on your shit, but like Aang she was filled to the brim of bright shiny hope that was cavity inducing. She and Aang were the couple that wore matching outfits on the beaches and will probably commission endless portraits of Katara's future pregnant belly (which Zuko will pay for because he was a generous friend and would support them til the end).

Sokka... they were both each others' first male friend their age. There was a bond of brothers there that had grown stronger with war and age, being each others' strongest allies in the rebuilding of a new world. They got along the easiest out of everyone on Team Avatar and were sarcastic soul mates for life. But even he got on Zuko's nerves every so often.

So. Suki was the most adept to handle Zuko's sharp personality quirks and quick match temper, not placating or letting him slide on his bullshit. She wasn't like a little sibling like the rest of the GAang (or a mother, in Katara's case) - they were the closest in age out of all of them, older not only in age but in mindset. Suki had to grow the hell up to become a general in her (albeit small) army at such a young age just as Zuko took command of a ship as a man did far before he was ready to do so. Everyone in their little circle had to grow up fast, but not quite like the two of them did. It felt like they were more evenly matched, really.

Speaking of the leader in question, the Fire Lord heard the soft knocks at his bedroom doors from the small balcony facing the back gardens accompanied by the muffled "Zuko?" from behind them.

A soft groan escaped him. He really didn't want to deal with anyone at the moment, puffy-eyed and just barely standing upright.

Suki seemed to take that as an invitation since she opened the opulent ("really Zuko, who needs that much gold on a door?") door and shut it with a gentle _snick_. Zuko's head dropped to rest on folded arms as she crossed the rooms in quick decisive steps before standing next to her friend. "Zuko?"

"Hmm?"

Suki sighed and clicked her tongue. "Come on," she said whilst tugging his body to rest heavily against hers, "talk to daddy and let out your grievances."

An undignified snort escaped Zuko as he shook with unwanted laughter. "I hate you," he mumbled into his forearms.

Zuko could _hear_ the smirk no doubt painted on Suki's face. "I know."

"You've been distracted since I arrived," she announced in an unapologetic tone after a silent minute or so. "I assume that has something to do with the fact that Mai's cleared out."

The breath caught in Zuko's chest as his throat tightened painfully. He'd been trying not to mention it or draw attention, but it seemed like Suki wasn't going to let him get away with it.

"Zuko?"

"Mm."

"What's going on in that big half-toasted head of yours?"

Zuko's lips twisted before he blew out a quick puff of air, blowing out a lock that had escaped from his hair tie. The ends of his hair now scraped just below his jaw.

"It was a mutual breakup this time."

"Oh man."

Zuko was feeling just enough self-pity that he allowed the arm around his back and gentle circles being rubbed on his opposite shoulder.

 _Just_ enough.

"Are you just _saying_ it was a mutual breakup, or..?"

A short laugh fell from the young Fire Lord's lips when he shook his head. "I suggested it, but it really _was_ mutual, Sukes. We tried after she broke up with Kei Lo, but..."

Suki nodded thoughtfully and glanced down towards her friend. He looked a mess, really. His usually kept hair was now a greasy mess, cheeks puffy and eyes rimmed red (one of them was always red, but that wasn't the point), it seemed like he hadn't slept in forever.

"What happened?"

Zuko sighed and rested his head sideways so that it rested on the inside of his elbow while he looked at her. "I love her. Fuck, I love her and I know she loves me. But too much shit is between us right now, with the New Ozai society and Kei Lo and just..." Zuko let out a frustrated growl and shook his head.

It was quiet for a time while Suki _scritch_ ed her nails over the hair on her friend's temple.

"We're different people," Zuko murmured. "We're different people, at different places in our lives. We can't work: at least right now. We agreed to keep in touch, but I don't know how well that'll work out."

Suki sighed, thumbing his cheekbone gently. "You'll always be connected in some way," she reassured. "And this isn't me being grossly optimistic like Ty Lee or Aang. Ty is a part of the Kyoshi warriors, and she and Mai are crazy close. And we're crazy close. We'll all be connected: always."

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not."

A soft grin made its way onto Suki's face as she huffed out an amused laugh. "Tell me about it. Katara and I didn't communicate for _months_ after Sokka and I ended it."

Zuko winced empathetically. "I know what it's like to be on the receiving end of that one's anger. _Especially_ where family is concerned."

Suki gave a dramatic full-body shudder.

"That mess lasted for _too long_ if you ask me."

Suki smiled again. "I know. And even though it's been said and promised, _everyone_ takes sides."

"Except maybe Aang."

"He tries."

"Poor kid."

Short nails made their way through a small knot in the Fire Lord's hair. "But _anyway_ , thanks for taking my side, Zuko. Even though we were the only ones there."

"It was done out of pity, Sukes."

Suki stuck out her tongue and continued running her fingers through Zuko's hair.

Zuko looked up with a weird expression, lone eyebrow raising and a sarcastically flirtatious smile playing on his lips. "Putting the moves on me, Earth Kingdom?"

The hand in his hair snaked out and shoved the Fire Lord roughly, making him laugh and stumble back a step or two.

"As if."

Suki turned and made her way towards the overwhelmingly gigantic closet and pulled out some of Zuko's more casual robes, though still clearly expensive and obvious in it's owner's status. "Wear these, we're having an informal tea with some representatives of the new military leaders of Ba Sing Se in an hour."

" _Ugghh_."

"And take a bath!" Suki shouted from the doorway. "You smell like a badgermole nest and your hair could run all the lamps in this palace with the amount of grease built up in there."

Without thinking, Zuko picked up a candlestick from a table next to the balcony doorway, chucking it towards Suki with as much force as he could. She slammed the door behind her, candle hitting the giant wood door with a decisive _thunk_ before falling with a muffled thump to the carpeted floor.

" _Missed_!" Suki's voice crowed from outside the door, laugh echoing and fading out as she walked further away.

" _Ugghh_!"

 

 

 


End file.
